Type-distributing machine.



w. c; SMIIH.

TYl-E -DISTRIBUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1l, |917.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. C. SMITH.

TYPE DIsTmBuTlNG MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1I 19|?.

'Patenti-1.a sept. 17,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ms Naems Persia-s cm. Puomuwu.. wAsmNcmN. u. c.

W. C. SMITH.

TYPE nlsmunNG MACHINE. I

APPLICATION FILED APR. II. I9I7 1,279,470. Patented sept. 17, 1918'.

',3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

TYPE-DISTRIBUTING Specication of Letters Patent.

sTaTns PATENT www@ WILBUR SMITH, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, Vi'SSIGlI'Ol.. ONE-HALF TO LUTZ, OF JEFFERSONVILLE, INDIANA., 1

BUnDE'r-rn c.

1917. Serial N0. 161,185.

To all 0071/0912y it may concern.'

Be it known that I, WILBUR C. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residingat the city of St Louis, State of Missouri,vhave invented a certain new and useful Improvenient in Type- Distributing Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- act description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to. make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

This invention relates broadly to printing and spcciically to al machine for distributing type from coinpo'sed form to assorted form. It is of a sort wherein the selection of the type from the composed line, and its differential distribution into assorted divisions is dependent uponthe volition of the operator, and the operation of the machine for the handling of the type is rendered effective through the operation of a keyboard mechanism. The invention is particularly adapted to the handling` of short grooved type of the sort customarily employed in the machine commercially known as the multigraph, and it is in connection with such use that the invention Vis herein illustrated and,

described. K

My present application is a division of my prior application filed November 3, 1916, Serial No. 129,382, for type setting and distributing machine, in which application the mechanism herein illustrated and claimed is shown in its coperative association withV the mechanism for setting the type into composed form. Y

As is well known in the art in printing from individually movable type, it is necessary to go through a process of selection and assembly 'to make the suitable composition, and then to go through a process of selection and distribution from type in composed form in order that the type may be properly assorted and made rapidly accessible for'subsequent composition.

ln present practice, the familiar use of type of the sort described is made in the machine commercially known as the multi-` graph which is designed for operation and use in business offices or establishments not devoted primarily to the business of printing. vType commonly employed in such majected'is reduced to av minimum, and thereby the possibility of injury to the. type is largely obviated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanism ofthe sort speciiied which is operable through a. keyboard arrangement conforming to the standard typewriter keyboard arrangement, by virtue of which provision the machine is susceptible of accurate and rapid operation by an oper-v ator practised in typewriting.

Other objects reside in the provision of the several mechanisms for the several operations and purposes hereinafter described, and other and further objects will be obvious or pointed out hereinafter.

In general, the inaoliinecomprises means whereby the types are selectively released, One at a time, from a compartment in which they are held in their composed form, and are conveyed and guided in the proper order into selectively differentiated positions. whence they are moved and deposited yin proper position in suitable magazine compartments from which they subsequently maybe mechanically selected for? composition. The operation of selecting thetype from the composed line, dierentially positioning them, anddepositing them in the magazine compartments, are all effected through operation of a keyboard having its several elements identified-with the several type Vcharacters to be handled.

Patented sept. if?, rais. Original application filed November 3, 1916, Serial No. 129,382. Divided and this application filed April 11,

ln the accompanying dlrawings, l have shown, for the purpose oit' illustration, one embodiment of my invention, the same comprising a machine designed for the distributing of short grooved type.

1n these drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the lower portion of the machine and showing representative elements of' the keyboard mechanism and their associated part-s;

Fig. 2 is a detail illustrating a part of the same in an altered position;

Fig. 3 is a detail illustrating a side view of a portion of the machine hereinafter referred to as the distributing column;

Fig. 4 is a detail illustrating` the upper portion of the distributing` column and particularly the upper and lower case switching device; V

Fig. 5 is a perspective illustrating` the upper and lower case switching guides at the upper end of the distributing column;

Fig. 6 is a perspective illustrating` the switching valve for the upper and lower case distribution Fig. i' is a detail illustrating the case shift-key mechanism Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional elevation of the upper portion of the distributing column showing the association of the printing segment and the magazine therewith;

Fig. 9is a cross section of the distributing column;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary perspective illustrating the distributing guides and an associated selecting valve.

Referring to the illustrations by the characters of reference, let is be understood that a suitable casing or 'frame is arranged to support and house the various portions of the mechanism, and upon which frame is mounted a shiftable keyboard frame Q which is movable forwardly and rearwardlyT to selective positions for the purpose hereirr after described. rThis shiftable keyboard frame carries the manually operable key members 4 the levers of which coperate with a universal bar 5.

rPhe distributing` mechanism may be arbitrarily subdivided into three parts, first a separating mechanism, Second'an assorting mechanism, and third, a typedepositing` mechanism. The separating mechanism will be best understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 8. At the top of the machine means is provided for mounting the printing cylinder S resting on its right hand end and with its type grooves extending vertically. The arangeinent of the cylinder is such that its type grooves may be turned to aline with a groove formed by guide members 85 (see Figs. 3 and S) into which latter groove type from the alined slot of the printing cylinder will feed by gravity. The feed of type along the guide members 85 is controlled -by a Iseparating valve 8f3. This valve S6 is operable by means hereinafter to be described, to separate and release type fed downwardly from the printing cylinder, one at a time, to permit their proceeding into the separating channel S7. I"llhis valve is carried in a slideway on the frame and is formed with a slot 8G of sir/ie suflicient to permit the passage of a type sidewise therethrough. Extending longitudinally over a portion of this slot is a separating finger do?, which linger extends in the direction in which the valve is moved to release a type. rlfhe valve is spring` pressed so as to normally occupy a position across the slot formed by the guide members 85, thereby actingl as a retaining member which sup-v ports the superadjacent column et type. The lower extremities of the members 85 pass through the slot of the valve and maintain the unbroken continuity of the parts upon which the slotted portions of the type travel. rlhe separating linger SG" is spaced ap; rt above the type-supporting portion of the valve by a distance sufficient to acconnnodate the width of a type, and the forward extremity of the separating linger 86b lies to the rear of the forward edge of the slot SGH by a distance somewhat less than the length of a type. Consequently, when the valve is moved forward to release lthe lowermost type, which rests thereon while heilig retained by the guide members 85, the separating finger S61 will be moved under the next superadiacent type so that by the time the lowermost type is released to fall through the slot S6, the column of type thereabove will be supported on the separating finger 85h. `When the valve is returned under pressure of its spring., the portion forming the forward edge of the slot SGH will be interposed below the column of type before the latter is released :from the separating finger 86h. in this fashion, the types are separated onev at a time from the composed line in the printing cylinder or segment. y

- The types travel down the guides S5 with the right hand sides down, and with their top and bottom slots riding on the guides S5. rlhe lower extremities of 'the guides 85 terminate short of the lower sloping side of the asserting channel 87, so that.` when the type is deposited in the channehit is freed :trom the guides 85, and allowed to slide down the channel rear end first. Shortly below the terminus of the guides 85, the as sorting channel 87 divides (see Figs. i and 5) into an upper case asserting channel '88 and a lower case assoiting` channel 89, the Y with apertures 90b, one at each side of the block member 90, which apertures are adapted to register with the respective 9channels, -when they are open, so as to permit the feed of type past theswitching member. By the proper setting of this switching member, which is accomplished by mechanism hereinafter to be case assorting channel, and upper case type into the upper case assorting channel, which continue down the Vdistributing column.

The distributing column is made up primarily of the vertically extending barmembers 91, 92 and 9-1. These members are spaced apart from front to rear of the machine, and are grooved transversely to provide seats 95 for the asserting pallets 96. The assembly of the assorting pallets 9G with the bar members 91, 92 and 94;, divides the space intermediate the bar members into a series of relatively vertically disposed stages. There is a pallet, and hence a stage, for each type character which the machine is designed to handle, and into each stage intermediate the juxtaposed pallets extends a pair of type guides 97.

Each pallet, as will be understood by reference to Fig. 10, includes a horizontallydisposed plate member which is pierced with an aperture 96a which terminates at one end at a guide member 961 and at the other end in a pair of slots 96c separated by a receiving tongue 96d and a pressing member 96e. The guide member 96b and pressing member 96e are spaced apart longitudinally ofthe pallet a distance equal to the width of the type channel, viz., a distance slightly inexcess of the width of a type, and whenrthe pallets are in normal position in the assorting column, the guidemembers- 96b form the leftv hand wall of the type channel, and the pressing members 96e form the right hand wall thereof. The front and-rear Walls of the type channels are formed by the strips 98 which are inserted through the apertures 96Z1 and behind the extremities of the guides 97, as will be understood by reference' to Fig. 9. These strips 98 cross the seats 95, and aline with the slots 96C of the pallets.

At the right hand extremities of the guides 97 are arranged turning members .99, which substantially form continuations of said guides, but are turned through'an angle of 90 from the horizontal toward the front of the machine. W'hen thepallets `96 are in normall position, the apertures 96a; are in described, lower case type are diverted mto the lower alinement vertically., so vthat an .uninterrupted channel is provided for the passage of type downwardly from .the switching member 90. However, a type in its progress down `this channel may be stopped in lany stageopposite a pair of the guides 97, by the retraction of the associated assorting pallet leftwardly to the position of the lowermost pallet Aillustrated in Fig. 8. In

this position V'the pressing member 9Ge is drawn yto the left of the type channel, and the .receiving tongue 961is interposed across the channel to receive the fallingtype. The type falls with its base upon this receiving tongue96d,and is held upright by the pressing member 96e which engages its right side,

the strips 98 which engage its top and bottom', and the extremities of the guides 97 which engage its left side. YIn this posiare alined with the guides 97, and when the pallet 96 is released so as to resume its norfmal position, which itdoes under spring pressure, the type will be pushed onto the guides 97 by the pressure from the pressing member 96e.

AThe arrangement of the outer 'extremities of the turning members 99 is such that they will register with the type-receiving channels of the type magazine 9, when the latter 1s disposedm a vertlcal position at the vright hand side of the machine, and the contion, the top and bottom grooves ofthe type tioned application; so that the type will be assorted, by operation of the keyboard, into the same vseveral magazine compartments that it is dispensedfromv in the setting operation. Y

The mechanismfor selectively operating the assorting pallets and the case switching member will be understood by'reference to Figs. l, 3, 4, 7 and 8. l

It has been explained above how the manually manipulative keys t together with their levers, are carriedin a slidable frame 2 which may be adjusted longitudinally of the machine frame. Each key lever has a depending arm 2G .which is arranged to cooperate selectively with a setting bell crank lever 27 or a distributing bell crank lever 28. There is a series of each sort ofthese levers, the setting levers, whose operation is described in the aforementioned application, beingpivoted on a rod 29 extending transversely of the machine, and the distributing levers being pivoted on alrod 30 similarly arranged in the machine in front 40 ciated lower case asserting pallet by connec- 55 Y v release of the key, the parts are restored toY connecting rod 100, is bv means of the laterally extending pin 107 on the former and the abutment 10S on the latter adapted to enga-ge the pin. Similarly, the operative connection between the rod 100 and the associated lower case bell crank 102, is by virtue of a laterally extending pin 109 carried by the bell crank, and abutment 110 on the rod. `When the rod 100 is in the position illustrated in Fig.A 1 with the abutmentl 110 in operative disposal relative to the pin 109, the lower case bell crank will be operated when the associated distributing' bell crank 28 is swung, while, when the rod 100 is lifted to the position illustrated in Fig. 2 with the abutment 10S in operative disposal relative to the pin 107, the' upper case distributing bell crank 101 will be operated upon operation of the'associated distributing' bell crank 28. Each upper case distributing bell crank has a pullv rod 111- extending up to suitable connecting members including a pull rod 11G, wherebyT the associated upper case asserting pallet may be retracted by oaeration of the associated keyl Similarly, each lower case bell crank 102 is operably connected with an assotions including the pull rods 1141 and 116.

By virtue of this arrangement of parts, whenever a key 4 in the keyboard is operated, the associated distributing bell crank 28 will be swung to operate the case bell crank which may be operatively connected thereto by the rod 100, from which case bell crank the movement will be transmitted through its attached pull rod 111 or 114,

as the ease may be, and thence throughthe associated bell lever and pull rod 116, to the associated asserting pallet, to move said pallet to close the type-distributing channel in the manner hereinbefore described. Upon normal position by the spring 117 and spring 118.

The means for shifting the operative connection between a letter key and an upper or lower case distributing bell crank selectively, includes, in the first place, theshift key Ll (see Fig. 7) which is arranged for cooperation with a distributing shift bell position by the rotation of rock shaft 121,075

will lift abutment 110 out of cooperative disposal relative to pin 109, and abutment 108 into coperative disposal relative to pin 107. inasmuch as all of the connecting rods 100 are thus shifted when the shift key is delpressed, the manipulation of any letter key will effect the operation of an upper case asserting pallet. In normal position of the shift key and guide plate 125, manipulation of a letter key will produce the operation of theassociated lower casev asserting pallet.

Simultaneously with `this shift of operative connections between the letter keys and the upper and lower case asserting devices,

is accomplished a shift of the case switching member 90, in order that ythe selected type may be guided into theproper case channel. This means ofV operating the switching member will be understood upon reference to Fig. f Y

VCarried on rock shaft 121 is an arm 127 to which is connected a pull rod 12S which extends upwardly into operative engagement with bell lever rllhis bell lever has operative connection with the case switching member 00, so that, when rock shaft 121 is rocked by the depression of the shift key, case switching member 90 will be pushed rearwardly to close the lower case'channel S9 and open the upper case channel 88, so that the type released by the separating valve will be diverted intol the latter.

Upon every operation of a letter key, and likewise of the space key, a type is released from the column or line above the separating valve 86, and allowed to fall through the distributing channel, as above described. The means for operating the separating valve 86 to effect this operation will be understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 8. Referring first to Fig. 1, it will be understood that upon the depression of any letter key, or the space bar, ythe rock shaft 57 will be rocked, due to the depression of the universal bar 5 by the lever ofthe key operated. From the arm 59 carried bythe rock shaft 57, extends a pull rod 130, which is arranged for operative connection to the lever 131. A rod 132 extends upwardly from the weight arm of lever 131 to another bell crank pivoted adjacent the upper portion of the may chine, and a rod 135 extends from the latter bell crank to the separating valve 86. Hence,

whenever universal bar 5 is depressed, said bell cranks will be rocked, and due to the interconnections, the separating'valve 86 will be operated to. release the lowermost type ofl the superimposed column.

In the operation of the above described parts for the purpose of distributing type, it will be understood that the printing holder or cylinder is disposed on top .of the machine with its right Vhand end down,V and with a line of type in alinement with the groove formed by the guides 85. When this line of type is released from the'carrier, it will fall until the .lowermost type comes into engagement with the separating valve 86. The magazine is disposed at the side of the machine with its left hand end up and with its type-receiving channels in registerl with the channel at the outer extremities of the turning members 99. The keyboard frameV is disposed in its forward position so that the arms 26 are-in operative relationship with the distributing-bell cranks 28. The operator now proceeds to manipulate the keys one at a time and in the regular order in which the keys would be operated in spelling out .the composed matter which is being distributed. The types are released one at a time by the separating valve, guided into the upper or lower case distributing channel, according to the position of the shift key, stopped opposite the guideways leading to the magazine compartment assigned to 4the particular character, and then moved onto the said guideways and toward the magazine. The feed of subsequent type onto the compartment guideway pushes the type ahead of it into the'receiving channel in the magazine, with said type in proper `position fora subsequent setting operation in the manner before described.

When the type has been assorted and deposited into the magazine, the channels of the latter are closed to prevent the egress of the type. by means of any suitable arrangement, so that the magazine may be removed to be transferred to the setting machine.

It is to be particularly observed that' in the operation of the machine, the type is so handled that its face is never brought into contact with any metal part such as would be likely to mar it, all of the manipulation and guiding of the type being accomplished by parts which engage it at its top, bottom, side or foot portions. Furthermore, the mechanism described is designed for rapid and accurate operation, and is always under control of the operator.

Vhile I have shown but a single embodiment of my invention, I am aware that, as hereinafter clai1ned,.the same is susceptible of otherembodiments differing infdetail and arrangements from that disclosed yfor the purpose of illustration.

tributing column providing a vertical type channel crossing the termini of the type receiving channels,` means for disposing typeA to permit its fall by gravity through said type channel, an assorting,devicedisposed in association with each type receiving chan- Y nel, a keyboard shiftable from upper case to lower case position, and operating connections from the keys of said keyboard vto ther assorting devices.

2. In a machine of the class described, the

combination of a plurality of type assorting guides relatively vertically disposed, a type channel'having communication with the said guides, separating means for disposing type to permit its fall-through said chan-nel,i assorting means for transferring type Vfrom said channel tothe assorting guides,l and a manually operable device for operating the separating means and the assorting means, said last mentioned device being shiftable 'from upper' caseto lowercase position.`

3. Ina device of the class described, the combination of a plurality of type assorting channels relatively vertically disposed, one of said assorting vchannels being for upper case type and kthe other channel for lower case type, a vertically extending type channel, means for disposing type to permit its fall through the type channel, key-operated means for delivering the upper and lower case type -to the respective assorting channels, andselectively operable means .for placing the type assorting channels in'communicationwith the type channel whereby to effect the transfer of type from the latter to theformer. Y n 4. In a device of the class describecl,sthe combination of a plurality of type assorting ing channels relatively vertically disposed, a vertically extending type Vchannel associated with said assorting'channels means for disposing type-to permit its :fall lthroughl the type channel,.and selectively operativemeans at each assorting channel forarrestingfthe fall of type, said last mentioned means including a Vkeyboard shiftable lfrom `upper case to lower case position.

5. In a device of the class described, the combinationof a plurality of type assorting channels,=means for disposing a type to permit 4its fall'vrelative tosaid channels, vand selectively operable means ffor diverting type into saidl channels,vwhich\l ast mentioned means includes a keyboard shiftable -from upper case to lower case position.

vs6. fIn a machine of the classdescribed, supporting means for releasing type one at a time from a composed line,` assorting compartaient-s arranged for thereceptienof type and disposed below the separating means, and a keyboard shit'tablc from upper case to lowerl case position for controlling the distribution of type into said compartments.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of a distributing' column having a vertically extending type channel, means vfor releasing t-ype one at a time to permit their falling through said type channel, keyoperated means for operating the upper case type from the lower case type, a .plurality of horizontally extending assorting comL partments disposed in association with the type channel and arranged to support type in alinement, and an asserting pallet disposed in association with each assorting channel and operable to exchange the'type from the type channel tothe associated compartment.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of asserting type guides, an assorting pallet operatively associated with each guide, said pallets being provided with means forguiding type past the assorting guides, means for disposing type to permit its fall past the asserting guides, and means including a keyboard shiftable from upper case to lower case position for operating said pallets selectively to arrest the falling movement of type.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a distributing column having a vertically extending type channel for the transmission or" type by gravity, a plurality of assorting compartments disposed laterally of the type channel for the reception of assorted type in alinement, selectively operable devices for arresting type in its movement through the type channel Yand disposing it in the compartments, and manually operable keyboard mechanism shiftable from upper case to lower case position for operating said selectively operable devices.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a distributing column provided with an upper case type channel and a lower case type channel, selectively operable devices for arresting the movement of type in said channels, means for positieni-ng type to permit its fall through said channels, and key-operated mechanism shiftable from upper case to lower case position for directing the type into the upper case channel or the lower case channel.

11.y In al machine of the class described, the combination of a distributing column having an upper case type channel and a lower case type channel, means for positioning type to permit its fall through said channels, a series of assorting devices associated with each of said channels for arresting the movement of type therein, operating mechanism arranged for cooperation selectively 'with the asserting devices of the upper case channel or the assorting devicesot the lower ci se channel, a switching device for predetermining the course of type as between the respective channels, and keyboard mechanism for operating the switching device and for rendering the operating mechanism effective selectively upon the assorting devices of the respective channels, said keyboard mechanism being shittable from upper case position to lower case position. i

In a machine ofV the class described, the combination of means lor positioning type to permit its fall by gravity, means for guiding the type during such movement, a series of upper case assorting devices disposed to arrest the movement ofrtype, a series of lower case asserting devices arranged to arrest the movement of type, keyboardrmechanism in common for operating the upper case and lower case assorting devices, and means for rendering said keyboard mechanism eiective selectively upon the upper case assorting devices or the lower caseassorting devices.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a pluralityY of type receiving compartments, means for positioning type to permit its fall by gravity past said compartments, means for guiding type during such movement, asserting devices operable to arrest the movement of type, said assorting devices being arranged in an upper case series and a lower case series, and keyboard mechanism operable from upper case to lower case position to predetermine which ot said series of asserting devices shall be elfective upon the type.

111. In a machine of the class described, the combination of an upper case series of type compartments, av lower case' series of type compartments, type channels associated with said series, means for positioning type to permit its fall through said channels, and keyboard mechanism shittable from upper case to lower case position for directing type to the upper case channel or the lower case channel selectively.

15. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a movable upper case assorting member, a movable lower case assorting member, means -for guiding type to said members, means for positioning type to permit their movement to said members, and means for selectively predetermining the course oi3 type as between said members, which last mentioned means includes keyboard mechanism shittable from upper case to lower case position.

16. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of selectively operable asserting devices, keyboard'mechanism shiftable from upper case t0 lower case position i'or operating said assorting devices, and means universally operable by'V said keyboard mechanism 'for delivering either series, said keyboard mechanism being type te said asserting devices. shiftable from upper case te lower case pesi- 17. In a type distributing machine7 the tion, and mea-ns'eperable universally by said combination of a series et' selectively operkeyboardVmechanism'for delivering type te able upper case type asserting devices, a both series of asserting devices. series et selectively operable lower case type In testimony whereefI hereunto aiCiX my asserting devices,ia keyboard mechanism efsignature, this 2nd day of April, 1917. i'ective te operate the asserting devices of o WILBUR C. SMITH.

opies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, 4by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. Y Y 

